Washing machine



Jan. 1,1929. 1,697,179

' B. E. GETZ f WASHING MACHINE Filed Nov. 26, 1924 3 Sheets-Sheet l Q 0 /1 v .:z:

. .a A a j 1 o O O Tfr' Jan. 1, 1929. 1,697,179

B.E .GETz l WASHING MACHINE Filed Nov. 26, 1924 3 Sheets-Sheet. 2

B. E. GETZ WASHING MACHINE y Filed Nov. 2e, 1924 s sheets-sheet 5 Invia-HIER- n ,f/W ma' Patented Jan. 1, 1929.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE,l

BENJAMIN E. GETZ, F MORTON, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO GETZ POWER l-ASIIER.v (20,.,

OF NORTON, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

WASHING iviacmivn.v

Application filed November` 26, 1924.. Serial No. 752,315.

cluding a clothes container or tubf whichl mounted for movement in the frame 0f the machine. In itsv preferred form thev container or tub isv oscilla-ted, but to. those skilled in.v this art it Will beunderstood thaty the movement of the operating meansV` could be ext-ended so as to impart anV alternating rotary inovementto the container or tub, sol

as to rotate .it approximately a full revolution before reversing its operation, instead of a partial rotation, as herein shown.

The object of the invention generally stated is to provide a controllable means for the tub mo-ving means; such controllable means movable to different positions and adapted in one of its positions to impart movement to the tub and in another of its positionsada-pted to restorethe tub to normal stopped position, Without stopping the movement of the tub moving means. x

The invent-ion has for a further object to operate the tub moving means from the wringer operating shaf A further object of the invention is to connect the tubmoving means direct to the Wringer operating shaft and to provide a direct drive `from the motor to the Wringer operating shaft.

The invention herein described and shown is an improvement on the generic idea disclosed in the patent toA Litwiller et al. No. 1,460,203 dated June 26, 1923, and as to such generic disclosure a disclaimer is here made. Referenceis also made to the disclosure forming the subject matter of my copending application bearing Serial No. 631,965.

The present improvement resides. inthe controllable means and in theoperative connections between said controllable Vmeans and the Wringer operating shaft. Vith such a structure tvvo separate and distinct driving means between the motor and the tub and between the` motor and the Wringer are obviated;` making it possible to. provide `a direct drive from the motor to thefwringer operating shaft yand drive theV tub moving means oif of the vringer operating shaft.

vThus not only simplifying the operating mechanism but also reducing the first cost of the machine.

That the invention may be morel fully understood, reference is hadl to the accompanying drawings, formingpart of the description, and illustrating a preferred embodimentof the invention, iiil Whichii Figure 1 is a side elevation of a standard type Wasiing machine with iny` invention embodied therein, the tub partly broken away and they usual wringer mechanism omitted but showing the; Wringerstandard, and the controllable means being lin tub operating position. i l F igureQ isa detail of the tuby operating means yand controllable means; included therein, the parts having assumed a position With the Wringer operating shaft having turned half Way around; l

Figure 3 is ay view somewhat similar to F igureZV except that thecontrollable means has" been actuated to set the tub in normalV stopped position, Wit-hout stopping the movement of the tub moving means;

Figure l is a plan view of what is shown in, Figure 3, the parts being in similar po# sitions; I

Figure 5 is a det ail vertical sectional View as the.. same would appear if taken on the` line 5 5 Figure 3, andv Figure 6 is a detail section, in plan, asthe` saine would, appear if taken on thel line 6-6 Figure 3.

Like characters of reference denote corresponding parts throughout the figures.

I have elected to show the invention asso ciated with a standard type Washing machine embodying an oscillating tub andy an upright wringer operating shaft with which a clothes Wringer of standard construction may have a swinging relation, like in most power operated washing machines in use toda-y. l

The frame of the machine is not unlike frames used'y in Washing machines of standard construction, except `as tominor details and includes a base l, uprights or standards 2 provided with castersv, a top frame 4 and suit-able bracinginembers 5, (i and 7. The machine maybe enclosed in a cabinet or casing, not shown, ifitis desired. The container or tub is designated 8, being preferably provided. with a bracing frame 9 formed or provided with trunnions l0 journaled in bearings l1 secured to the bracing member 7 ofthe frame. The t-runnion supports for. the container or-tub 8 permit it to be oscillat-ed Within or on the frame, and said tub has an opening, 12 through which clothing or other material would 4be inserted` comprises a crank into and withdrawn therefrom, and such opening covered or closed, when desired, by a suitable lid or cover, not shown.

On the base 1 of the machine is supported an electric motor 13. Also on the hase 1 is a mounting 14 in which is journaled and from which upstands a wringer operating shaft 15 having bearing supports in the top frame l and a bracing member 6.- Said operating shaft 15 preferably derives its power direct from the motor 13 through a shaft 16 coupled to the motor through a flexible coupling 17 and having operative connection with the wringer operating shaft l5 through worm wheel. gearing 18. To the upper end of said wringer operating shaft is suitably connected a wringer standard 12 arranged to have rotative connection with said shaft whereby said standard may be swung about said shaft, into different po sitions. Said standard serves as a support for a clothes wringer, not shown, but which would be power operated from the `shaft 15. The wringer may include the usual and customary clutch control for operatively connecting and disconnecting the wringer with the shaft 15, at the will of the attendant or operator, as will be understood.

ln Figure 3, the container or tub has been restored to its normal position, or as some would say returned to its neutral position, and stopped, the tub moving means continuing in operation, and the controllable means idlingV and without movement being imparted to the container or tub. ln Figures 1 and 2 the controllable means has been moved to a position which will cause the tub mov ing means to impart movement through the controllable means to the tub, and as a result the tub is oscillated back and forth, Figures 1 and 2 showing the parts in two different positions.

By normal or cneutral position of the tub, it is to be understood that that is the position the tub occupies when it is stopped, as in Figure 3, so that the lid or cover thereof may be removed by an attendant to permit the removal of clothes or fabrics from the tub and the placing of other articles or materials therein. Also, by the use of the word restore l mean bringing back or righting of the tub to normal or neutral7 position at the same time that the operating means is made ineffective so far as operating the tub is concerned, yet without disturbing the movement of the tub moving means.

The tub moving or operating' means 20 formed in or connected to the wringer operating shaft 15 and adapted 'to be continuously rotated with said shaft as the latter is rotated through 'the driving connections described with the motor 13. To the crank 20 is pivotally connected a coupling 21 to which is pivotally connected in operative connection with the clothes container or tub 8.

To the projecting end of one of the trunnions 10 of the tub 8 is secured a crank arm 23 and to said crank arm is connected a sti-ap 2st which engages a slidable rod or bar 25. To one end of said bar or rod, being the upper end, is secured an oiiset bracket 26 to which is pivotally connected the inner end. of a hand operated lever 27 fulcrumed to the brace member 5. To the opposite, or lower end of said bar or rod 25 is secured a collar 23 and on the rod or bar between said collar and strap 24 is a strap 2f.) to which the pitman bar or rod22 has a pivotal connection. l prefer to fix the position of the strap 29 on the rod or bar 25 and therefore groove said bar or rod, as at 30 and provide the strap 29 wit-h a screw 31 adapted to enter said groove.

lVhen the tub moving means and the controllable means included therein have been assembled and coupled to the trunnion 10 of the tub and the operators lever' 27 the point of pivotal connection between the lever and the off-set bracket 26 may be moved in an arc, due to the fulcrum of the lever 27, to intersect the axis of the trunnion 10, as in Figures 1 and 2 and intersect the axis of the crank arm 23 forming the pivotal point of connection rwith the strap 2t which engages with the bar or rod 25, as in Figure 3. In the latter position, as the shaft v15 is revolved and the crank arm 2O is rotated reci kirocating the pitman bar or rod 22 in a substantially horizontal plane, the rod or bar 25 is oscillatcd to and fro or forward and backward on the pivot between the strap 24 and the crank-arm 23 which in this instance is in coincidence with the pivot between the inner end of the lever 27 and the off-set bracket 2G, being the neutral position of the controllable means, and in which position of the parts the container or tub is :in normal position and stopped, or in other words no movement will be imparted to said container or tub, although the operating means comprising the shaft 15 and connections to the strap 29 may continue 'to operate, as it is believed will be understood. In this position, also, the rod or bar 25 may be said to be in its lowermost position, as shown, with the outer end of the operators lever 27 raised.

When the outer end of the lever 27 is lowered the inner end lifts the rod or bar 25 into its uppermost position, see Figures 1 and 2 bringingthe pivot between the inner end of the lever and the off-set bracket 2G into coincidence with the axis of the trunnion 10, in which position of the parts, and as the rod or bar 25 is oscillated, it will imlil() neemt/e part oscillatory movement to the crank arm 23 and in turn impart a like movement to the container or tub. As shown in Figure 3 the fulcrum of the lever 27 is located at a point to one side of a vertical line intersecting the axes of the pivot between the lever and the ott-set bracket and in a horizontal plane which intersects such vertical line midway between the axes of the trunnionV lever 27 has been moved to place the con trollable means into operative position with the pivot ot the lever with the oit-set bracket in coincidence with the axis of the trunnion 10 the parts will be held in operative position, whereby oscillatory movement may be imparted through the rod or bar 25 and the crank arm 23 to the container or tub. The latter is restored to neutral position and stopped when the lever 27 and controllable means are moved from a position similar to that shown in either Figure l or Figure 2 to a position similar to that shown in Figure 3.

From the foregoing it will be observed that by the gradual movement of the lever 27 from the position shown in Figure 3 to the position shown in Figures l or 2 that the tub oscillation would be slow with a short stroke. gradually increasing until the full stroke is reached. The reverse of this is also true when the lever is moved from the position shown in Figures l or 2 to the position shown in Figure 3. W hen the oscillation may be gradually slowed down until the tub is brought to a stop. Holding the lever at points intermediate its tull throw will permit a varying stroke to be imparted to the tub.

Vfhat I claim is a l. In a washing machine, in combination, a tub mounted for oscillation, a crank arm in axial connection with said tub, a slidably arranged rod, connections between said lrod and said crank arm, a lever for sliding said rod to move it alternately into operative and inoperative positions, and during such movement to the latter position bringing the tub toits normal position, a power means, a vertically disposed shaft arranged to operate a wringer and tol impart oscillatory movement to said rod, a crank in connection with said shaft to rotate therewith, and reciprocal connections between said crank and said rod.

2. In a washing machine, in combination, a tub mounted for oscillation, a crank arm in axial connection with said tub, a slidably arranged rod, a pivotal connection between said rod and said crank arm, a lever, a pivotal connection between saidlever and said rod arranged to be alternately brought into axial coincidence with the axis of the tub and the pivotal connection between said rod and said crank arm and during such movement to the latter position bringing the tub to its normal position, a power means, a vertically disposed shaft driven 'by said power means arranged to operate a wringer` and to impart oscillatory movement to said rod, a crank in connection with said shat't to rotate therewith, and reciprocal connections between said crank and said rod.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto atiixed my hand this 22nd day of November, 1924.

BENJAMIN E. GETZ. 

